Thursday, May 10, 2007

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, accompanied by young artists from Iran, makes very brief remarks to the press after she toured the Iranian art exhibit, 'Wishes and Dreams', Thursday, May 10, 2007, at the Meridian International Center in Washington. Though the event was intended to promote cultural links with Iran, ten of the 14 Iranian artists refused to be photographed with Rice and two would not accompany her through the gallery. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Whoops, I pretty much wrote this whole post right there in the headline, huh? It's hard to imagine that not everybody jumps at the chance for a bona fide Condi-op, but there you have it. See what happens when Arab Persian younguns get democracy 'n' stuff?

Look, I know it's de rigeur on this blog to use incidents like this to insult Rice, but the fact is, these are Iranian artists who would normally have to watch their backs for a visit from the Pasadaran, the friendly folks from Revolutionary Guards Corps Internal Security. There is a reason why they didn't want to be photographed with her: the regime is in the midst of a crackdown on students and intellectuals right now. It had nothing do do with any dislike of Rice personally. These people have to live in Iran as artists; the regime considers them to be dissidents. You don't have to live there, Princess.

The people who did show up in the photograph probably have files opened up on them by now. The Guards have data on everyone else who made the trip, as well. A few of these people will probably have unpleasant experiences with the Pasadaran when they return, especially the women.

What does it mean when they send the real Condi and not a Condibot to Iran? (Condibot never covers the lady parts, nor speaks to invisible spherical friend-hence we know we are looking at authentic Condi)

While 10 of the young artists decided not to be photographed with Condi (or Condibot?), the tall woman with the red and pink scarf was voted to be the designated seether for the entire group. She looks fairly young, but she obviously knows a thing or two about seething already.

Was the italicization of the word scarf in the last paragraph a not very subtle hint to Our Beloved Princess? Yes, I believe it was.

what signal is she sending with that odd, yet awkward hand position, and that strange, if tentative forward cant to her torso?

Like, maybe that she feels awkward & doesn't know exactly what to say?

I don't quite understand what she is hoping to accomplish with this speech. Of course it appears to me that the US government is still trying to make a war with Iran happen. So if that is the case, why is Ms. Rice speaking to young Iranian artists in Iran?

Does Ms. Rice believe that, even if the US or Israel is about to bomb Iran, we should still talk to them? To what end? If we bomb them, their population will turn very anti-US. (They seem mixed now.) Is she hedging her bets, doing low-level diplomacy in case the current administration doesn not attack?

"Of course it appears to me that the US government is still trying to make a war with Iran happen. So if that is the case, why is Ms. Rice speaking to young Iranian artists in Iran?"

CondiCo probably wants to foster good relations with artists in hopes that these iconoclasts will side with us in the fight for the "hearts and minds" of Iranians. Presumably we are meant to represent freedom of expression and freedom in general, as opposed to an Iranian government which censors and spies on artists of all stripes. Of course, Michael Moore isn't exactly feelin' the love right now from these Defenders of Freedom, is he?

I think Condi's body posture is reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's posture while singing "Fingertips Pt. 1 and 2", as a young fellow.

Perhaps Condi is making a statement about being blind ("I do not recalling seeing that report."), young ("We didn't know then what we know now"), black (or brown skinned, as it were) and how artistic she is (her musical pie-yano). Her portrayal as a young, blind Stevie Wonder tells us she is just one of the young artists being themselves. Only great things ahead.

in hopes that these iconoclasts will side with us in the fight for the "hearts and minds" of Iranians.

Terri:

You think that this administration believes that these artists will fight against the Iranian government on behalf of the US government when they go back home? (I reread the post and realized that this happened in the USA.)

If Bush's administration seriously believes that it can convince young, presumeably reformist-leaning, Iranians to fight against their own government, on behalf of the US government, by having Ms. Rice speak to them, then all I can say is that Bush's administration is even dumber than it looks. However, I'm not completely convinced that Ms. Rice actually believes this- that she may have some other angle.

Speaking of Secretary Rice's visit, the point of this diplomatic effort was to show that the American government is interested in the Iranian people, their culture, history, and traditions. The message they want to send is that it is not the people of Iran, but that it is only the government that is at issue. I offer this not as conjecture.

Regardless of all the politicians and their objectives, this is a good and positive exchange that will both help educate Americans about Iranians and Persian contemporary culture and that will (we hope) also provide very positive experiences and foster good will, creating friendships between Americans and the artists themselves, while also supporting and encouraging their work as artists. The artists, while in the United States, are visiting with many different museums and cultural institutions, seeing great, famous works of art from all matter of international artists that are housed in some of our museums; they are gaining valuable new insights of all kinds to share with both us and with others, which they will perhaps then express through their wonderful art. They are having very enriching and enlightening artistic, cultural, and personal experiences with other people who, like them, are interested in and involved with Arts and Culture.

So the TRUE point of having the artists here is not political; it is not merely a gesture. It transcends politics. As politics play a role in almost everything human, of course, they are not to be avoided, but to work to create positive change within those political systems and structures is the true aim of cultural exchanges of this type.

This is a kind of outreach effort, a cultural exchange meant to promote mutual understanding between peoples. Clearly, our countries need efforts like these right now, and there are many ways to view it, but I see that very positive experiences and effects will grow from this effort.

The exchange itself is about opening minds and hearts for greater respect and mutual understanding.

Art has the ability to speak above and beyond such issues and differences as arist inevitably in politics; it bridge gaps and connects one heart and mind to another. As the one of the Iranian artists was quoted in the paper as saying, "art is ahead of politics." I agree with that wholeheartedly and hope that you all will find it in your hearts and minds to see that, too. It may not be perfect, but it is a step in the right direction.